Combination buffet and cabinet



Dec. 18, 1934. M. EBBIIT 2 GOHBINATION BUFFET AND CABINET Filed March 20, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented 18,1934

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" 1,984,523 connmsrron BUFFET AND csnnvs'r- Margaret Ebbitt, ChicagoJll. Application March 20,1933, Serial No. 881,753 3 Claims. ,(CL sis-14c) This invention relates to improvements in "cabinets, particularly adapted for'domestic purposes, and one of the objects of the same is to provide animproved portable cabinet of this character, which is of a compact construction so that it will occupy a minimum amount of space in-a room, or which may, if desired, be secured to or mounted upon a swinging support, such as a door or the like, thereby enabling the owner to swing the same into a closet when not in use, and as readily swing it into a convenient position when it is to be used. -To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the feetures of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more iully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention and showing the same closed.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the cabinet showing'the same open.

Figure 3is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3, Figure 1. I Figure 4 is an irregular horizontal sectional 30 view taken on line 4-4, Figure 2, showing some or the parts in a diflerent position.

Figure 5 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on line 5-5, Flsure 2.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, as taken on line 66, Figure 4. Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates generally a cabinet of any desired size and configuration, but is preferably comparatively long with relation to its depth and width and is constructed of any suitable material.

Arranged within the cabinet is a horizontal partition 11 which is spaced for any desired distance from the top and bottom thereof so as to divide the cabinet into an upper and lower portion. The upper portion of the cabinet is provided with a plurality of spaced superposed horizontal parti-' tions 12 which are preferably of a length to terminate substantially flush with the side edges of the open front of the cabinet and the partitions or shelves thus arranged form a plurality of compartments 13. If desired, doors 14 may be provided which are mounted to s'wing upon hinges 15 to form closures for one of the compartments 13, and if desired an electric light socket 16, supplied with current from any suitable source through a conductor 17, may be arranged for the reception of an electric light bulb 18. Arranged within others of the compartments 13 are article supporting devices 19 which may be secured to the bottom of one of the partitions, and plate racks 20 may be arranged in others of the compartments.

One of the compartments, preferably the compartment Just above the shelf or partition 11, may be provided with a lining 21 of heat insulating 1 material and within this compartment may be arranged any desired number of circuit sockets 22, and a pilot light 23 all supplied from any suitable source of supply, and a switch 24 for controlling the pilot light and the sockets 22. This pilot light 15 23 is provided for the purpose of a signal and operates that when the switch 24 is positioned to supply current to the article which is connected with the sockets 22. it will be lighted and when the current is shut oil from the article, the pilot light 2 will be extinguished. This serves the function of directing the attention of the user to the fact that the current has not been cut oil. 4

The lower portion of the cabinet is preferably 25 shaped to form a single compartment 25 within which is arranged a chamber 26 provided with heat insulating material 27, and if desired a lining 28. The chamber thus formed is provided with a heat insulated closure 29, and arranged in so this chamber and spaced from the top and the bottom thereof is a partition or shelf 30 dividing the chamber into two compartments 31-'32. Arranged in the compartment 31 and supported by the partition 30 is an ice box 33 having a closure 35 34, and arranged in the bottom compartment 32 is a drain receptacle 35, preferably in the formal a drawer having a handle 36, by means of which the receptacle 35 may be withdrawn to empty water thereirom. Adrain tube 37 serves to conw vey the water from the icebox to the drain receptacle 35.

With the parts arranged in this manner and with thecompartments 3132 provided, it will be manifest that when the closure 34 is in position,

articles may be placed not only within the ice box but also upon the top or closure 34 thereof as well as in the compartment 32.

The cabinet thus formed is provided with separate closures 88 -39. The closure 38 is shaped to form-a hollow compartment 40 in the nature 01? a recess'which may be provided with horizontal shelves or partitions 41. and article holding devices 42 and racks 43 may be arranged in the recess ior supporting articles. Backs 44-45- may as partition 11, a fastening device 4'? being provided for holding the same in a closed position.

The closure 39 is similarly constructed, that is so that it will be hollow or recessed and swings about hinges 48 so as to form a. closure for the compartment .in which the chamber 26 is located. A table 49 is mounted to swing upon hinges 50 into and out of the recess formed in the closure 39, and a bracket 51 is mounted to swing about upright pivots 52, such as hinges, so as to brace and support the table 49 when the latter is in position for use and also to be folded into the closure 39, as shown more clearly in Figure 3.

When the table 49is in a folded position the closure 39 may be swung into a position to form a closure for the compartment 25, a suitable fastening device 53 being provided for holding the closure 39 against accidental opening.

The partition 11 is preferably of a length to project beyond the side walls of the cabinet 10 and is of such a length that when the closures 38 and 39 are closed, the projecting edge of the partition V will be flush with the walls of the closures 3a and 39.

with this improved construction it will be manifest that a compact domestic cabinet and bufiet will be provided and that the cabinet will require a minimum amount of space within the room, but at the same time possess all of the merits of a small kitchenette, the heat insulated compartment above the partition 11 serving as a receptacle or place in which to install the cooking apparatus.

Furthermore, the device may be easily transported and if desired may be mounted upon a swinging door or other support to allow the same to be swung into and out of a closet or space provided for that purpose. when desired.

'While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described. it is to be understood that various changes may bemade in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:-

l. A portable structure of the character described embodying a main cabinet-like structure having open compartments, a plurality of superposed supplemental cabinet-like structureshinged to the said main cabinet and constituting doors or closures for the main cabinet, article holding means in one of said doors, and a foldable table mounted in the other of said doors, the bottom wall of one of the compartments in the said main cabinet forming a ledge extending between the proximate ends of adjacent door sections and be-' ing substantially flush with the front of the door sections when the latter are closed.

2. A portable structure of the character described embodyinga main cabinet like structure having accessible compartments therein, a projecting ledge spaced from the bottom of the cabinet, a closure for the compartment below said ledge, said ledge projecting for an appreciable extent beyond said closure when the latter is in a closing position, a second closure for the compartment below said ledge, a laterally projecting flange on the last recited closure forming an open recess on the inner face thereof, and a collapsible table carried by the second recited closure and hinged to the closure within the recess, said table being foldable into the said recess, the exposed surface of the folded table being substantially flush with the edge of the flange.

3. A portable structure of the character described embodying a main section and two front sections separate from'each other, said front sections being disposed one above the other and hingedly connected to the main section to form separate closures for portions of the main section, each of the sections being shaped to form an open chamber, shelves and a refrigerating compartment in the chamber in the main section, a separate closure for the said refrigerating compartment, article holding racks in the chamber of one of the front sections, a table hingedly carried by the other of said front sections and fold-- able into and out of the chamber in the last recited section and between the last said closure and the adjacent said front section, said front sections being independently movable about their hinges with respect to each other and to the said main section and into and out of position for use, and a ledge carried by the main section and proj ecting for a substantial distance beyond the front edge of the main section, the upper front section being disposed and operable entirely above said ledge and the lower front section being disposed and operable entirely below said ledge.

MARGARET EBBITT. 

